Report to include short, long-term solutions to managing reservoir
The Hinckley Reservoir working group's final report due to Gov. Eliot Spitzer in March will include both short- and long-term recommendations for managing the reservoir, according to an interim report submitted Monday to the governor.
But some group members are concerned that creating detailed long-term recommendations by that deadline would be unreasonable.
Herkimer County Administrator James Wallace, who is a member of the group, said addressing long-term issues in the face of an ongoing lawsuit between the state Canal Corp. and Mohawk Valley Water Authority could prove too difficult to do by March.
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Wallace said a number of long-term issues do need to be addressed - including property values at Hinckley Reservoir, whether Gray Reservoir could have helped this summer and how to make sure water can be available for uses including recreation, drinking and producing power.
But sticking to short-term recommendations for now seems to be the better plan, he said.
"If you try to do anything more, it would be absolutely impossible," he said.
Working group chairwoman Nancy Kim of the Department of Health said last month the group will consider and note long-term issues that need to be addressed, but its final report in March will focus on avoiding problems with water availability during 2008.
But the interim report's outline of the final report includes a section for long-term recommendations, which are required, said Department of Health spokeswoman Diane Mathis said.
"They've been charged by the governor with specific responsibilities, so they will need to do the best that they can to make as specific as possible long-term recommendations," Mathis said.
Spitzer's spokeswoman Christine Pritchard also said the governor's charge includes the need for long-term solutions, and the governor's office will continue to monitor the process.
State Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Rome, isn't a member of the working group but attended the meetings. She said she was under the impression the group would just be addressing short-term issues but hopes members are able to look further into the future.
"Here in the Mohawk Valley, we need them to make some recommendations," Destito said. "And if they need to ask for more time, they should."
Group members, however, should be able to complete short-term plans for dealing with communication and management issues by the March 2008 deadline, she said.
A better understanding of how much water flows in and out of the reservoir in certain situations would be helpful when making plans for both the near and distant future, Destito said.
"That's something major that needs to be examined, and some type of monitoring needs to be put in place," she said.
Observer-Dispatch